Neomardara congolana, László & Volynkin, 2023

László, Gyula M. & Volynkin, Anton V., 2023, Review of the genus Neomardara Hering, 1926 with descriptions of two new species and updated information on the distribution of the genus (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Lymantriinae), Ecologica Montenegrina 68, pp. 103-126 : 118

Neomardara congolana sp. n.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:4BEE102B-D3FD-48D8-9F6A-2321DA1F1D53

( Figs 10–11 , 25 , 38–39 , 50–52 , 63–64 , 76 , 88 )

Holotype. Male , “ REPUBLIC OF CONGO 341m / Sangha Prov., Nouabale-Ndoki / National Park, Bomassa camp / (Secondary forest) / 02°12’36.9”N, 16°11’30.2”E / 10–16.x.2022 MV light trap / Dérozier, V., Fouka, B., / Kirk-Spriggs, A., Takano, H. Leg. / ANHRT:2022.14” // “ANHRTUK / 00255037”, gen. slide No.: LG 6125 ( ANHRT).

Paratypes. Republic of Congo. 2 males, with the same data as in the holotype but collected at 16– 23.ix.2022, unique ids.: ANHRTUK 00286963, 00286708, gen. slide No.: LG 6126 ; 1 male, Sangha Prov. , Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park , Bomassa forest, (Secondary forest), 358m, 02°11’58.1”N, 16°11’16.9”E, 17–23.ix.2022, LepiLED L.T., Dérozier, V., Fouka, B., Kirk-Spriggs, A., Takano, H. leg., ANHRT :2022.14 ( ANHRT). DRC. 2 males, Mai-Ndombe , Ekongo camp, 02°45’23”S, 20°18’55”E, 14 km E Cutembo, March / April 2007, leg. local collector (North-Eastern Congolian Lowland Forest), gen. slide No.: LG 6127 ( RCHS) . 1 male, Eala , iii.1936, leg. J. Ghesquière ; 1 female, Katako-Kombe , 2.i.1952, leg. Dr. Fontaine ; 1 female, Lusambo 16.iv.1950, leg. Dr. M. Fontaine, gen. slide No.: LG 6203 ( RMCA) .

Diagnosis. The forewing length is 14–16 mm in males and 21 mm in the female paratype. Neomardara congolana sp. n. has a distinctive external habitus expressed by the highly reduced subterminal fascia which runs straight only between the forewing apex and the upper tip of the postmedial patch, and the absence of the wedge-shaped subventral streak which is present in every other species of the genus. This species has the least extent of whitish wing markings and the darkest hindwing in the genus rendering N. congolana a readily recognisable taxon. Despite the rather unique external appearance, the male genitalia of N. congolana are nearly identical to those of N. mondika and N. divergens , noticeable constant differences are found only in the shape of the tegumen, which is somewhat narrower in the new species than in N. mondika and N. divergens , but broader than in N. africana and N. fontainei ; in addition, the carinal lobe is smaller and less rounded in the new species than in N. mondika . In the female genitalia, N. congolana is readily distinguished from N. mondika and N. divergens by the presence of a pair of well-developed peri-ostial lobes, which are also present in N. africana and N. fontainei . The peri-ostial lobes of N. congolana are strongly curved unlike in N. africana , being more similar to N. fontainei , however this latter species has a markedly shorter ductus bursae (in comparison to the entire length of the genitalia) than N. congolana .

Etymology. The specific epithet of the new species refers to its distribution within the Congo Basin.

Bionomics and distribution. Neomardara congolana was collected in Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park, Republic of Congo in September-October, at the end of the main dry season. The specimens sampled farther south and east in the Equateur, Mai-Ndombe and Sankuru Provinces of DRC were on the wing in January and March-April, which represents the short dry and beginning of the small rainy season, respectively. Comparing the flying periods with the sympatric N. africana and N. mondika , the former species is on the wing throughout the whole year, while the latter has been observed in small numbers at the end of the long dry season between August and early October with the main flying period falling to the small dry season in February.

Figures

Figures 10–18. Adults, male. 10. Neomardara congolana, sp. n., holotype, Republic of Congo (ANHRT). 11. Idem, paratype, Republic of Congo (ANHRT). 12. Idem, paratype, DRC (RCHS). 13. N. divergens, holotype, Zambia (NHMUK). 14. Idem, Zambia (ANHRT). 15. Idem, Zambia (ANHRT). 16. N. mondika, holotype, Republic of Congo (ANHRT). 17. Idem, Cameroon (ANHRT). 18. Idem, Gabon (ANHRT).

Figures 19–25. Adults, female. 19. Neomardara africana, Ivory Coast (NHMUK). 20. Idem, Zambia (ANHRT). 21. Idem, DRC (RMCA). 22. N. fontainei, sp. n., paratype, DRC (RMCA). 23. Idem, paratype, DRC (RMCA). 24. Idem, paratype, DRC (NHMUK). 25. N. congolana sp. n., paratype, DRC (RMCA).

Figures 38–43. Male genitalia, a: clasping apparatus, b: aedeagus (all in coll. ANHRT). 38. Neomardara congolana sp. n., HT, Republic of Congo, LG 6125. 39. Idem, PT, Republic of Congo, LG 6126. 40. N. divergens, Zambia, LG 6044. 41. Idem, Zambia, LG 6045. 42. N. mondika, HT, Republic of Congo, LG 6046. 43. Idem, PT, Republic of Congo, LG 6047.

Figures 44–52. Male genitalia, details of uncus-gnathos-tegumen complex. 44. Neomardara africana, Gabon, LG 6042 (ANHRT). 45. Idem, Liberia, LG 6050 (ANHRT). 46. Idem, Republic of Congo, LG 6133 (ANHRT). 47. N. fontainei, sp. n., holotype, Burundi, LG 6196 (RMCA). 48. Idem, paratype, Burundi, LG 6197 (RMCA). 49. Idem, paratype, Burundi, LG 6198 (RMCA). 50. N. congolana, sp. n., holotype, Republic of Congo, LG 6125 (ANHRT). 51. Idem, paratype, Republic of Congo, LG 6126 (ANHRT). 52. Idem, paratype, DRC, LG 6127 (RCHS).

Figures 59–64. Male genitalia, distal end of aedeagus. 59. Neomardara africana, Republic of Congo, LG 6133 (ANHRT) 60. Idem, Liberia, LG 6050 (ANHRT). 61. N. fontainei sp. n., holotype, Burundi, LG 6196 (RMCA). 62. Idem, paratype, Burundi, LG 6198 (RMCA). 63. N. congolana sp. n., holotype, Republic of Congo, LG 6125 (ANHRT). 64. Idem, paratype, DRC, LG 6127 (RCHS).

Figures 71–76. Female genitalia. 71. Neomardara africana, DRC, LG 6201 (ANHRT). 72. Idem, Zambia, LG 6215 (ANHRT). 73. Idem, W Africa, Ivory Coast, NHMUK 014331760 (prepared by Laszlo) (NHMUK). 74. N. fontainei sp. n., paratype, Burundi, LG 6199 (RMCA). 75. Idem, paratype, Burundi, LG 6200 (RMCA). 76. N. congolana, sp. n., paratype, DRC, LG 6203 (RMCA).

Figures 83–88. Female genitalia. 83. Neomardara africana, DRC, LG 6201 (RMCA). 84. Idem, Zambia, LG 6215 (ANHRT). 85. Idem, Ivory Coast, NHMUK014331760 (prepared by Laszlo) (NHMUK). 86. N. fontainei, paratype, DRC, LG 6199 (RMCA). 87. N. fontainei, paratype, DRC, LG 6200 (RMCA). 88. N. congolana, paratype, DRC, LG 6203 (RMCA).